Mail box signal



p 1933- F. 0. BLACK 1,925,227

MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed Maiqh 15, 1932 Zhwentor FEA/Y/f 05240 aw. @WM) (Ittorneg Patented Sept. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAIL BOX SIGNAL Frank 0. Black, Pamona, Calif.

Application March 15,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to signaling means and particularly to signals for mail boxes.

The objects of my invention are:

First, to provide simple and economical means for holding a signaling flag in an out of the way,

inclined, or a reclined position;

Second, to provide a simple and economical arm and link means connected to the doors of the mail box for supporting therein the free end of the staff of the signaling flag in an out of the way, inclined, or a reclined position;

Third, to provide a pair of signaling flags in connection with a mail box for variously signaling therefrom the letter carrier and the occupants of the house to which the mail box belongs, the staff of one signaling flag being held in an upright position by engagement with the end of the staff of the other signaling flag, when the latter is not in a signaling position;

Fourth, to provide a device of this class which may be set without difiiculty to operate as desired and which may be set with only one hand for signaling as desired;

Fifth, to provide means for supporting a signaling flag in a non-signaling position, when said means is in one position, and for supporting the doors of the mail box in an open position, when said means is in another position;

Sixth, to provide economical means for supporting the signaling means on a mail box; and

Seventh, to provide a device of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. 7

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a mail box with my signaling means secured to one side thereof and set in a position to signal that a letter has been deposited therein for the letter carrier; Fig. 2 is another side elevational view thereof showing the doors of the mail box in an open position preparatory to depositing a piece of mail therein and showing the device in a position to signal the occupants of the house to which the mail box belongs; Fig. 3 is another side elevational view thereof showing the device set for the letter carrier preparatory to depositing a piece 1932. Serial No. 598,897

of mail in the mail box by the letter carrier; and Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 2 with the door of the mail box closed.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

The mail box in this instance is similar to the mail boxes now in use for rural mail delivery. This mail box consists preferably of a box or enclosure 1 which is relatively long and preferably supported on a post (not shown). This box or enclosure is open at one end and provided with a door 2 for closing said opening and, the door 2 being pivoted on a horizontal axis at thelower end of the box 1. This door is adapted to be raised and held in a raised and closed position by a lock 3 which may extend through suitable extensions or clips 1a and 2a of the box 1 and door 2. In the door 2 is mounted a second door 4 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis 4a near the upper portion of the door 2. This door 4 is adapted to cover an opening 21) in the door 2 through which mail is adapted to be deposited in the box. I

My signaling device is preferably supported on a pair of supports 11 and 12 which are spaced from each other and from the open end of the mail box. These supports are secured to the side of the mail box preferably by screws 13 and 14, and 15 and 16 respectively. On the support 11 is pivotally mounted an arm 17, the lower end of the arm being mounted at the lower end of the support. The upper end of the arm is offset outwardly as indicated by 17a in Fig. 4. The upper end of the arm is pivotally connected, by a link 18 with a clip or journal member 19 which is secured to the lower free edge of the door 4.

On the support 12 is pivotally mounted a signaling flag or flag member 20, the staff 20a of said flag member being pivotally supported intermediate its ends on the support 12. The free end of the staff 20a is adapted to be'supported on the link 18 near its pivotal connection with the arm 1'7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, for supporting the signaling flag 20 in an out of the way, inclined, or reclined position. The free end of the staff 20a is also adapted to engage the screw 15, which also forms an extended stop, for supporting the signaling flag in an upright or a signaling position, as shown in Fig. 2.

On the support 11, is pivotally mounted a second signaling flag 21, the staff 21a of said signaling flag being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends. The second signaling flag or flag memher is adapted to be supported in one of three positions. One position oiv the flag member 21 is with the free end of its staiT at the under side of the stop 22 secured at the upper end of the support 11. This is the inoperative position of the flag member 21, and said flag member assumes this position after the device is tripped by the mail carrier. Another position of the flag member 21 is shown in Fig. l and is adapted in this position to signal the mail carrier that a letter or other piece of mail has been deposited in the mail for him. In this signaling position the free end of the staff is adapted to engage the free end of the staff of the signaling member 20. The last position of the signaling member 21 is the position when the staif engages the upper side of the stop 22. The signaling member 21 assumed this position when the device is set prior to the engagement of its staff with the end of the staiT of the signaling member 20.

Though I have shown and described a particularconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with an enclosure of a door at one end, of an arm pivotally mounted at its one end at one side of the enclosure, a link pivotally con necting the opposite end of said arm to the free edge of said door, a flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff at said side of said enclosure, said staff being held in a reclined position by supporting the end of the stafi at the pivotal connection of said arm and link, and a second flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff above said arm and adapted to engage at the free end of its staff the free end of the staif of the first flag member when the latter is in a reclined position.

2. In a device of the class described, the com bination with an enclosure of a door one end, of an arm pivotally mounted at its one at one side of the enclosure, a link pivotally connecting the opposite end of arm to the free edge of said door, a flag member pivotally mounted in termediate the ends of the Stan, said staff being supported at its normally lower end by said link at and above the pivotal connection thereof with said arm, and a second flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff above said arm and adapted to be held in a substantially upright position by engagement of the free end of its staff with the free end of the staff of the first flag member when the latter is held by said link.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with an enclosure of a door at one end,

of an arm pivotally mounted at its one end at one side of the enclosure, a linkpivotally connecting the opposite end of said arm to the free edge of said door, a flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff at said side of said enclosure, said staff being held in a reclined position by supporting the end of the staff at the pivotal connection of said arm and link, a second flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff above said arm and adapted to engage at the free end of its staff the free end of the staff of the first flag member when the latter is in a reclined position, and a stop spaced from the pivotal axis of the second flag member and positioned towards the pivotal axis of the first flag member for supporting the second flag member with its flag portion di-' rected both upwardly and downwardly.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with an enclosure of a door at one end, of an arm pivotally mounted at its one end at one side of the enclosure, a link pivotally con necting the opposite end of said arm to the free edge of said door, a flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff, said staff being supported at its normally lower end by said link at and above the pivotal connection thereof with said arm, a second flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff above said arm andadapted to be held in a substantially upright position by engagement of the free end of its staff with the free end of the stafi of the first flag member when the latter is held by said link, and a stop spaced from the pivotal axis of the second flag member and posttioned towards the pivotal axis of the first flag member for supporting the second flag member with its flag portion directed both upwardly and downwardly.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with an enclosure having a door at one end pivoted at its lower portion and a second door pivoted on the first door on a horizontal axis intermediate the ends of the first door, of an arm pivotally mounted at its lower end at the side of the enclosure, a link pivotally connecting the upper end of said arm. with the free edge of said second door, a stop mounted at the side of said enclosure for said arm for limiting the outward position of said doors whenshiited upon their pivotal axes, and a flag member pivot ally mounted intermediate the ends of its at said side of the enclosure, the free endof the staff of the flag member being supported at the pivotal connection of said arm and link.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with an enclosure having a door at one end, a support secured to one side of said. enclosure, an arm pivotally mounted at one end at the lower portion of said support, a link pivotally connecting the upper end of said arm with the free edge of said door, a second support secured to said enclosure at said side but in spaced relation to the first support, a flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staff onsaid second support, the free end of the staff oi the flag member being supported at thepivotal connection of said arm and said link, and a second flag member pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its staii above said arm and adapted to be held in a substantially upright position by engagement of the free end of its staff with the free end of the staiT of the first flag member when the latter is held by said link.

FRANK 0. BLACK. 

